Improvement in water-meters



2 Sheets-Sheet 1;

G. O. SGHNELLER.

Water-Meters.

No. 196,483. Patented Oct. 23, 1877..

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Water-Meters.

Patented Oct. 23, 1877.

G. 0. SCHNELLER.

UNITED STATES P TE T OFFICE.

GEORGE O. SCHNELLER, OF HUNTINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

' IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-M ETERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l96,483, dated October 23, 1877; application filed March 17, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. SCHNELLER,

of Huntington, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvementin Liquid-Meters; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in con-- nection with the accompanying drawings andthe letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-- Figure 1, a partial side view; Fig. 2, an end view; Fig. 3, a vertical central section at one end; Fig. 4, a horizontal section on line w as of Fig. 1; and in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 detached views. I

This invention relates to an improvement in devices for automatically measuring flowing liquids, and known as liquid-meters, with special reference to what are known as piston-meters.

In the usual construction of this class of measuring devices, in which a valve is employed to change the course of the flowing liquid from one side of the piston to the other,

the liquid itself is made the power to operate the valve. As the pressure must necessarily be variable, it follows that the operation of the valve will be proportionately uncertain, and when the pressure is greatly reduced, as when flowing fi'om casks, the valve will frequently fail to operate, rendering the meter of which are proportionate to the size of the.

meter required. It is smoothly bored out, and

piston, B, fitted to the inner surface, so as to move freely from end to end of thecylinder. This piston may be made of any suitable material-the lighter the bettercelluloid being preferable. The edge of the piston should be sufficiently-broad to prevent its canting, so

as to bind in its passage from one end to the other. The cylinder is closed by heads 0 D, the one, 0, constructed with a passage, E, the other with a similar passage, F, opening into the cylinder at or near the center of the head. These passages both turn toward one side, and are respectively connected by the tube G G with the valvecase H. This valve-case H is represented as detached in Fig. 5, G G representing the same passages shown in Fig. 4, and which lead one to each end of the cylinder. Transversely to these passages is a third passage, I, which forms the inlet, and a fourth passage, L, which forms the outlet. Centrally between these several passages a cylindrical four-way cock, N, is arranged, preferably upon a shaft, a, so as to turn upon centers, and with the least possible friction consistent with a proper fitting of the valve. This shaft a ex tends outward through the case to afford a means for turning the valve, as hereinafter described. v v

Supposing the valve to stand as in Fig. 5, the liquid, flowing inward through the passage I, will pass through the opening 1 2 of the valve I to the right, and through the passage F to the cylinder, forcing the piston to the opposite end. The piston having reached that point comes to a stop. Then, by turning the valve until the opening 1 be presented to-the passage at the left, and the opening 2 to the inlet I, which will bring the opening 3 of the valve to the outletpassage L, and the opening 4 of the valve to the passage G from the right, the course of the inflowing liquid will be changed and pass to the left, through the passage G E, into the cylinder against the piston, and there being an outlet through the valve from the opposite side of the piston, the inflowing liquid will force the piston to return, and the liquid before it to flow out through the valve and outlet L until the piston in its return reaches the then outlet end of the cylinder, there stopping. Another fourth turn of the valve will bring the opening 1 to the outlet, and the opening 2 to the passage from the left, when the liquid at the left of the piston will be forced out by that flowing in at the right, and, so continuing, one-fourth revolution of the valveat I f I. Through. the passages I G, or, other conQI I venient position, arod, ad, is arranged inisnita I I able hearings at the endsfor support, and, at ,7

II the termination of eachfullmovement :ofztbe I piston; will continue tochange theflow from I one side to the other of the piston, and II the s quantity of discharge maybe ascertained by;

multiplying: the capacity of the cylinder by I I the number of quarter-revolutions ofthevalva 7 Inorder toautomatically arrest and release soastoform shoulders;

I I thecenterthis rod: is provided with a stud, c,

groove inthevalvec wji I I I 'againstithatshoulder I I Atthecenter of the ends of the cylinder aslid I I I o .ing bar, g, is arranged at one end, andzgf at the other. I From this sliclingIba: a lever, 15', ex- I tends down through they passage E,andhung in I a fulcrum,: h, below the rod d, and at the other end in the corresponding passage a similar lever, P, hung upon a corresponding fulcrum, h. The levers P and P are each in connection with their respective sliding bar 9 and g, and also each connected to the rod d, so that the longitudinal movement of the sliding bar g outward from the cylinder will move the rod d correspondingly; but a distance of less in proportion as the bearing of the rod (1 is nearer to or farther from the fulcrum h, and such outward longitudinal movement of the bar 9 and movement of the rod d will force the opposite bar g inward, as denoted in broken lines 5 hence, as in Fig. 1, the piston, traveling to the left, will strike the end of the sliding bar g and force it outward. This movement of the sliding bar y will draw the stud e away from the shoulder f, and into the groove 8. Then the valve will turn until the shoulder i will come against the stud c, which is one-fourth turn, and

be there arrested until the piston has traversed to the opposite end, and, striking the bar 9 at that end, will move the rod cl, drawing the stud e inward to the groove 6, there allowing an other one-fourth revolution of the valve, or until the shoulder n strikes the stud e, and there the valve, being again arrested, reverses the flow before described, and so on to the full revolution of the valve, the piston at each end releasing the valve, so as to allow the inde- 2 the valve, so that it :will turn justits quarteri I 4 revolution at each movement I of the piston, II there isattachedgtothevalvesshaft, .orforined therein in a" plane at right angles to its; axis, I

I I agroove, as seen inFig. 6, which consists of II four segments, 56! 8', each segment 1 concen 1 II 1 tric cto the axis of; the valve, and the two '5' I ,I and ii-i of :aless radius than the two '2 5% ands, I I p each i occupying enedbnrth': of :7 the circmnier- I I ence, and each joiningthe next at theirends, I

as seen in: Fig. '7, which stud. sets into the '1 .rection denoted by the arrow in Fig, :6, and I the stud e to, rest against the shoulderf be ,1 I; I I tween the two; parts and r8 of the; groove, I 1,. I I II I which .is the portion. shown in Fig. 1,5this E II 1: will iholdithevalve so long asthe studael rests pendent power applied tothe valve to give it I I I V 1 I aits pioper rotation; hence, the: outwardiflow I 1 I being permitted, the'piston wili traverse from i II 1: end to end so long as the outward and inward: I I

flow continue; 3 I 1 II I Theamountcfpower requiredtorelease the II I valve being almost imperceptible, it follows I that a pressure alittle morethan suificient to I v I. move: the piston will be all that is required: 1

In practice, a' half pound or "one-foot pressure I I I I i 5 11 1 to be ampiefor the 'operation of the f meterqmqr I, V T he power to movethe valve may be any .I I. the -wellIknown powers,fsueh as springs or i r g aring; cr'other II I I ise, thererepresentedasbyia'weight wither; I: 6 rd wound upon a" drumJi-t only being 'essen I iI i? tialto this invention that the powerto opei I II ate the valve heindependent of theinor'out :I

flowing liquid. I I I As insoniecases, slight obstructions er If sedimentmayform inthe cylinder. A drip or receptacle is provided forisuehforeignmatter I v I .I I I, at each end of the cylinder, as seen in Figs. 2 J I l? 0W1, supposing thev valv, to; turn. in; the I die I and This'oonsistsofia: cl1amber, R, open- Y Ii 5mg. into the cylinder, but I deeper I than the II I I I I lowest point of thecylinder, as seen in Fig; 3;: I Y a 'Intothisithesedimentwonldhe forced by the I I ;v

sliding. piston, and itmay be drawn on through I I t I I I i 1 I thezplng or ai suitable cock; applied for the I II I II J I :I

purpose. I Prefera yathere areemployed duplicate' T I s: in connection: with the valve, one I f above the other; as seen iii-Fig. d, and the stud r a'r j' s oth sides the roddyas'seen in I I Figfl', to take ai -bearing npon'the shoulder in :i' I I both grooves, and thereby prevent the turning of the rod and lessen the friction which would otherwise exist.

In order that the rod may pass the shaft, a loop is formed in the rod, as seen in Fig. 7, so as to extend from the rod at one side of the shaft to, and connect with, the shaft at the other side. I

It will be understood that the usual clockwork and dials are to be applied to indicatethe number of full movements of the piston, and this may be made with the shaft of the valve, or any of the moving parts of the apparatus.

I claim- 1. In combination with the piston and waterways of a double-acting liquid-meter, a valve and power, other than that of the flowing liquid, to impart to said valve an intermittent revolution, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, in a liquid-meter, of a cylinder, a piston arranged to reciprocate in said cylinder, a passage leading from the cylinder at each side of the said piston, a valve,in connection with both of said passages, to turn the flow alternately from one passage to the other, and means, substantially such as described, to impart to the said valve an intermittent movement independent of the flowing in connection with both of said passages, to

turn the flow alternately fromone passage to the other, and a drip or sediment receptacle at each end of, and below the lowest point of, the cylinder, with outlet for removal of sediment, substantially as and for the purpose described.

GEO. O. SOHNELLER.

Witnesses: JOHN E. EARLE, CLARA BROUGHTON. 

